Manchester City’s Rodri is a unique defensive midfielder who has defied expectations by regularly finding the back of the net.
Despite the primary role of defensive midfielders being focused on disrupting opponents rather than scoring, the 27-year-old Spaniard has shattered this norm.
Since his move from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City in 2019, Rodri has managed to score an impressive 19 goals in slightly over 200 appearances.
This significant goal tally is remarkable for a player primarily tasked with breaking up opposition attacks and protecting the defensive line.
Rodri’s most recent impactful goal came in the Premier League clash against Sheffield United, where he secured a 2-1 victory for Pep Guardiola’s side at Bramall Lane.
City took the lead through Erling Haaland’s header after the Norwegian had previously missed a penalty earlier in the match.
Sheffield United managed to equalize through Jayden Bogle with just five minutes remaining, seemingly salvaging a point against the formidable Treble-winning Manchester City side.
However, the narrative shifted dramatically when, a mere three minutes later, Rodri, the Spanish international, seized the moment and delivered a crucial goal.
This late strike ensured that Manchester City would emerge victorious in the Steel City clash, allowing them to maintain their flawless record in the Premier League campaign’s early stages. With three wins out of three matches, City now holds the top position in the league standings.
Rodri’s importance extends beyond domestic matches. One of his most iconic moments came last season when he netted a goal of significant historical importance for the club.
His goal secured Manchester City’s victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, an achievement that marked City’s inaugural European Cup triumph and sealed their remarkable Treble-winning campaign.
And it appears that the Spaniard’s latest big goal for the Etihad Stadium club has not gone unnoticed.
A video compilation of Rodri’s goals since joining City has emerged on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
It includes winning goals, his knack of arriving in the box at the right time or on the edge of it to perfection to fire home, as well as his aerial ability with a few headers showing he is a threat to get on the end of crosses and corners.
Watch the whole compilation below:
All of Rodri’s winning/big goals for City so far pic.twitter.com/DNn5xP9M2r
— ¹⁰ (@SxrgioSZN) August 28, 2023